SHRM and Pass Kindness Forward Launch the Global Workplace Kindness & Civility Challenge

Worldwide initiative invites employers to make civility a daily practice, with a goal of over 20 million acts of kindness at work during Global Kindness Season

ALEXANDRIA, VA, UNITED STATES, October 30, 2026 /EINPresswire.com/ -- ALEXANDRIA, VA., and SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico — Nov 2, 2026 — SHRM, the trusted authority on all things work, and Pass Kindness Forward, a global movement born as Pásalo Pa'lante where it certified over 1.1 million acts of kindness in just five days, today launched the Global Workplace Kindness Challenge, inviting employers of every size, in every country, to turn civility into a daily habit.
The ask is simple: One person. One act of kindness. Every workday.

Thanking a colleague by name. Listening without interrupting. Disagreeing without disrespect. Stepping in when a teammate is underwater. Easy and yet each action shapes how work feels.
SHRM joins the movement as its Founding Global Civility & Kindness Partner, and SHRM President and CEO Johnny C. Taylor, Jr. will serve as a Founding Global Civility & Kindness Ambassador.

Civility is a Business Issue

Incivility is not a soft problem. SHRM's Civility Index estimates it costs U.S. organizations roughly $2.6 billion a day in lost productivity and absenteeism. Behind that number are people who dread a meeting, avoid a colleague, or quietly start looking for another job.

The challenge gives HR leaders a practical and easy way to move in the other direction: reinforcing respect, collaboration, and well-being through small, repeatable behaviors rather than another policy.
"Civility isn't a courtesy. It's a competitive advantage," said Johnny C. Taylor, Jr., President and CEO of SHRM. "People are bringing more tension to work than ever, and HR is uniquely positioned to improve the culture of all businesses around the world. This challenge turns SHRM's long-standing commitment to civility into something every workplace can act on tomorrow morning, one interaction at a time."

"Businesses have always been recognized for the profits they generate. Imagine a world where they are equally celebrated for the kindness they inspire," said Chin Yao, Founder of Pass Kindness Forward and Pásalo Pa'lante. "We are not asking businesses to choose between profitability and compassion. When people feel respected and valued, everyone benefits: employees, businesses, families, and communities."

The goal: more than 1 billion acts of kindness
Pass Kindness Forward has set the goal to drive 1 billion acts of kindness starting now until January 31. SHRM believes at least 20 million of those can happen in the workplace. SHRM's nearly 340,000 members in 180 countries lead workplaces that touch the lives of more than 362 million workers and their families. If every Member did an intentional act of kindness each workday during kindness season that would be about 20 million civil moments. If 340,000 members inspire only 5% of their companies to adopt the Kindness movement for every employee to adopt one act of kindness per work day, that’s already over 1 billion acts of kindness in the workplace.

How to Participate

Participation is open to any organization, from family businesses to multinational enterprises. Employers can:
• Invite employees to commit to at least one intentional act of kindness each workday during Global Kindness Season
• Recognize colleagues who help others
• Model civil and respectful communication from the top
• Support the SHRM Foundation as HR is a social force for good
• Share their participation at PassKindnessForward.com

SHRM will bring the challenge to HR professionals through its membership, chapters and volunteer leaders, and civility programming. The SHRM Foundation, SHRM's nonprofit arm, connects the initiative to its mission of empowering HR as a force for social good.

Three global synchronized moments, on Nov. 11, Dec. 21, and Jan. 27, will invite organizations everywhere to pause and act together.

From Puerto Rico To The World

The movement began with Pásalo Pa'lante, an initiative of Te Amo Puerto Rico. In November 2025, it mobilized communities in all 78 municipalities of Puerto Rico and recorded 1,135,096 acts of kindness in five days. Pass Kindness Forward is now taking that model global through its inaugural 92-day Global Kindness Season, with a goal of more than 1 billion acts of kindness across more than 195 countries. The Global Workplace Kindness Challenge is a cornerstone of that effort.

"Every business is a community of human beings," said Yao. "Every employee has the power to make someone feel seen, respected, and appreciated. Imagine what could happen if businesses everywhere embraced that responsibility together."

About SHRM

SHRM is a member-driven catalyst for creating better workplaces where people and businesses thrive together. As the trusted authority on all things work, SHRM is a leading expert, researcher, advocate, and thought leader on issues and innovations impacting today's evolving workplaces. With nearly 340,000 members in 180 countries, SHRM touches the lives of more than 362 million workers and their families globally. Learn more at SHRM.org.

About Pass Kindness Forward

Pass Kindness Forward is a global movement born in Puerto Rico through Pásalo Pa'lante, an initiative of Te Amo Puerto Rico. Its mission is to inspire more than 1 billion acts of kindness across more than 195 countries during Global Kindness Season, Nov. 1, 2026–Jan. 31, 2027. Learn more at PassKindnessForward.com.

Media contacts:
SHRM Eddie Burke, eddie.burke@shrm.org
Pass Kindness Forward / Te Amo Puerto Rico

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